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Journalism of Courage
The Karnataka BJP on Thursday asked Election Commission to disqualify Ramoji Gowda, the Congress candidate from the Bangalore Graduates constituency in the Legislative Council elections, for allegedly distributing gift packs to voters in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
According to the complaint, Gowda distributed crockery sets along with the election manifesto on Wednesday. It said that at 9.30 pm, Naveen, the election agent of the BJP candidate A Devegowda, visited the godwon of the courier company DTDC at J P Nagar near Sarakki. Naveen allegedly found gift boxes being loaded into a vehicle for distribution. The BJP state unit also tweeted a video of the purported incident, calling it “blatant voter bribery”.
The complaint alleged that similar boxes were stashed at another godown at the Neraluru village of the Anekal taluk. “The police and other officials are showing lethargy in taking action against the culprits, which shows that the candidate has influenced officials from registering any cases against him and others.. Ramoji Gowda has kept the said gifts in these agency/branches of DTDC situated in various parts of the constituency,” the BJP said.
The BJP has demanded legal action against DTDC, too, for abetting the crime in violation of the MCC.
Elections to the six Legislative Council constituencies — Bengaluru Graduates, North East Graduates, South West Graduates, South West Teachers, South East Teachers and South Teachers — are scheduled for June 3. The counting of votes will take place on June 6. The incumbent MLCs in these six seats are set to retire on June 21.
Karnataka Legislative Council, the upper house of the bicaramel legislature in the state, has 75 members.
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